Fantasy Core RPG: The Druid

FANTASY CORE RPG
(c) Jerry Harris, 2012
Published here as Open Game Content.
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The Druid

Level	Base Attack Bonus	Fort Save	Ref Save	Will Save	Druid Spell Level Limit/Call Com.
1st Initiate	+1	+0	+0	+2	1
2nd Initiate	+2	+0	+0	+3	1
3rd Acolyte	+3	+1	+1	+3	2+Call 1 HD
4th Acolyte	+4	+1	+1	+4	2
5th Master	+5	+1	+1	+4	3+Call 2 HD
6th Master	+6	+2	+2	+5	3
7th High Master	+7	+2	+2	+5	4+Call 3 HD
8th High Master	+8	+2	+2	+6	4
9th Grand Master	+9	+3	+3	+6	5+Call 4 HD
10th Supreme G. Master	+10	+3	+3	+7	5+Permanent Call

Description: Members of a very long-standing mystical nature cult with their own inscrutable goals (in other words, up to the Ref).  Druids gain their magical abilities via a Pact with nature spirit present in their native environment.  Groups may keep to themselves, actively protect their native environment and sacred shrines, or even use their powers to actually rule over some backwoods and barbarian areas. 

Hit Die: d8.

Prime Abilities: Wis and Dex.

(Many skills otherwise requiring the Int stat, have replaced by the Wis stat for Druids.  This represents the nature of their teaching and their familiarity with their environment.  Out of their element, those skills would be figured normally.)

Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A Druid is proficient with scimitars, daggers, clubs, spears, javelins, short bows, and longbows and with light animal hide and rough hide, but not shields.  Their scimitars are ceremonially significant to the group and identify them as members.  (Other items could be used for such symbolic purposes.)

Standard Starting Gear: 5+1d10 GP, pack, 3 days rations, waterskin, 2 useful items, short bow, 20 arrow quiver, scimitar, dagger.

Crack Shot: A Druid may make a successful bow attack into a melee fight without making a Called Shot, but only making a single bow attack that rd.

Mounted Archery: A mounted Druid may make a ranged bow attack with their full BAB, but only a single attack.

Animal Companion (Optional Rule)

Druids have an innate magical ability to call upon a Companion creature when in their native environment.  It is not an actual animal, but a supernatural force taking the form of a natural animal native to the Druid’s normal environment.  For the forest, it could take the form of a wolf, a mountain lion, a bear, a stag, and so on.  (Generally, the more HD, the bigger the type of creature.)  It is capable of traveling outside of that environment.

This ability is gained at 3^rd level and increases with every odd level.  It is a full rd action to call this companion, but success is automatic, and it will appear the next rd.  Druids may call their Companion once a day.  The creature will loyally and fearlessly serve for 8 hours (unless killed, or if the Druid is killed) before disappearing.  It may be Called again after the next sunrise. 

The stats for this creature take the same form as a Summoned Monster.  1^st Level Call: 1 HD, 8 hp, +1 to hit, 1d6+1 damage, Sv Ftr 1; 2^nd Level Call: 2 HD, 16 hp, +2 to hit, 1d6+2 damage, Sv as Ftr 2; and so on up to 5 HD. 

Exotic Mount: Druid High Masters (7^th and up) may use their Companion as a riding animal, such as taking the form of a Giant Stag or a Bear or any natural animal of their environment that could bear their weight.  This animal may still make their attack with a rider on them.

Permanently Called Companions:  Supreme Grand Masters will have permanently Called creatures in their service equal to their Wis Bonus, instead of having to Call for them.  Their stats would be 5 HD, 40 hp, +5 to hit, 1d6+5 damage, Sv as Ftr 5.  If killed, they can be Called again at the next sunrise.

Detection: A Druid may detect ambushes and traps adding Wis bonus + ½ level to the attempt, but only in the forest (or their normal environment). This does not apply to trapped items.

Stealth: A Druid may sneak and hide adding (Dex + Wis bonuses)/2 + ½ level to attempts, but only in the forest (or their normal environment).

Track: A Druid adds Wis bonus + ½ level to the attempt. Assume DC 12 for a fresh trail by someone not trying to hide, DC 18 on an old trail or by someone covering their tracks, but only in the forest (or their normal environment).

First Aid: A Druid knows how to apply first aid to heal the wounded.  Masters can also identify poison (DC 12) and treat poisoning (DC 18), Wis Bonus + ½ level. 

Spells

A Druid is taught their spells orally from their superior after they have been found worthy.  At every odd level, after an appropriate trial, they are given instruction and practice for week at their camp or lodge, and gain all of the spells of that Druid level.  (The Druid spell list follows this Class description.  These are the only spells they may cast.)  Druids start with all 0 and 1^st level spells.

Spellcasting

Druids may cast any spell they know by making a Spellcheck: Wis bonus + ½ level vs. DC 12 + Spell Level. (Cantrips are DC 10.)  With 2 cumulative failures in a turn/encounter, all magic use is suspended pending 1 turn of rest. The Spell Level Limit is the highest spell level that a Druid cast and only from their special spell list.  A spellcaster must roll to activate a spell, even if their Spell Check is greater than the spell’s DC.  A Natural 1 is a Botch, meaning all spellcasting is immediately suspended until the caster has had 1 turn of rest.  A Saving Throw against a spell has a DC of 12 + ½ caster level.

Druid Orgaization

Members must be initiated into the group with a dangerous task and a series of vows.  Thereafter, members must be further tried by a superior before attaining any odd level.  After the trial, they are given a new group of spells. 

Druid groups may be full-time outdoorsmen living at a hidden camp or lodge.  They might also be a part-time Secret Society, only congregating on ceremonial days at a temporary hidden camp around a temporarily erected shrine.  Those below the Master level will not know where the hidden site is.  They would have to be lead the location after being blindfolded or disoriented.

In either case, the main secret of the Druids is knowledge of the nature spirit which grants them powers and supernatural animal companions.  Outside of their environment, this spirit is obscure or completely unknown.  What the Druids’ end of the deal is to gain their powers is left undefined.  Perhaps sacrifice is required, killing any interlopers that see the nature spirit’s shrine (there should always be a dedicated shrine), or something else that outsiders would not approve of.  At the least, they will attempt to kill any members who leave or divulge knowledge of the group.    

Other character classes might be a part of the Druidic group.  Rangers, Barbarians and Fighters might be “muscle” guarding lodges and camps.  Wizards and Warlocks seeking magical knowledge in the wilderness may throw in with a group to get their help.  (Witches are not trusted however, because they’ve already made a supernatural Pact.)  Half-Elves may find Druids to be kindred spirits.  These individuals are allied with the cause, but are unable to gain Druidic abilities for whatever reason.   

Notes

Given a large enough wilderness with a sufficiently large population, why limit yourself to one group of Druids?  There could be a White Lodge Secret Society of settlers, dedicated to the protection and defense of the settlements (by any means necessary).  They train in the woods at a hidden camp, worshipping a somewhat beneficial nature deity, who keeps them all safe in return for some sort of sacrifice of malefactors.  There could be a Black Lodge Secret Society, where rich elitists from the nearest city congregate at during full moons to perform evil rites to a dark force in the woods.  They have a luxurious hidden lodge in the mountains.  There could a Red Lodge of hardcore survivalists deep in the woods.  They demand tribute and sacrifice from small settlements and barbarian tribes in the area.  Their motives and habitation is unknown.  

(Druids aren’t as martially good as a Ranger, nor as magically good as an Arcane Ranger, but at least you get a pet.  A Druid Player Character’s motivations would not be their own, unless they were on the run from them.  Certainly they could be dangerous enemies.  Encounters with a Master and a troop of Acolytes and Initiates could quickly go sideways for a group of Characters, if the Druids start Calling for Companion help.  Maybe this is why the Wizard Council and the Paladins don’t make much of an effort to root them all out.  The Companion rule was listed as optional, in case it seemed a bit too goofy.  Perhaps more pathetic Druidic cults don’t have access to this ability, or they have some trained large animals that serve the entire group.)  

Druid Spells